Air conditioning apparatus



May 21, 1940. FE|NBERG- I 2,201,647

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I a] I?7/ i -28 E 40 I 83- ?6 I 1 824 a, Q 7 7g V 7 A. A. FEINBERG 2,201,647

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 21,1940.

May 21, 1940. A. A. FEINBERG 2,201,647

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented May 2 1, 1940 AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Allan A. Feinberg,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to United States Air ConditioningCorporation, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationApril 30, 1938, Serial No. 205,202

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in air conditioning apparatus andit consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

One of the Objects of the present invention is to provide apparatus ofthis kind which, by reason of the arrangement of the parts thereof, ispractical to produce in the form of a portable room unit easily movableto the desired point of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this kindwhich in summer may be used to take in fresh outside air through an openwindow, to clean, cool and circulate such air throughout a room andwhich in the winter may be used as an eflicient humidifier to add theproper amount of moisture to and gently circulate the air in said room.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a portable apparatusof this kind, a simple means whereby the directional flow of air may bereadily adjusted and controlled, thus avoiding dead spots in theatmosphere of the'room and insuring an even temperature throughout thesame.

Again it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus of this kindin which water for air cleaning, humidification and evaporation purposesmay be readily replenished and the holding tank and the filtering matmay each be readily removed for cleaning purposes.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus ofthis kind a novel mounting for the water circulating pump with respectto the water supply tank and whereby the pump and its motor may beeasily moved into a position permitting the ready removal of the supplytank for cleaning purposes.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,together with the advantages thereof will more fully appear as thespecification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of a portable air conditioning unitembodying the preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved apparatus, on an enlargedscale, the cover for the casing being omitted better to disclose thearrangement of the parts within the casing.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus as taken onthe line'3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical detail sectional view, on a further enlarged scale,as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal vertical sectional view through the apparatus astaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical detail sectional view through a part of theapparatus as taken on the line 6-6 5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale, astaken on the line 'lT of Fig. 6.

Fig; 8 is a detail view illustrating the circuit for the blower drivingmotor and the water pump driving motor and which will be more fullyreferred to later.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, the improved apparatus includes a casingID in which all operating parts are enclosed. This casing which is madeof sheet metal is generally rectangular in shape and has a height andwidth greater than the depth from front to rear. The casing, which initself is open at the top, comprises a horizontal bottom frame I I ofangle bar, upright left and right hand end walls l2 and I3 respectivelyand upright front and rear walls l4 and I5 respectively. The up- 25 perfront end corners of the end walls are cut away as best shown in Figs. 1and 3 and a cover I6 is removably engaged upon the top end of thecasing. This cover includes an angularly disposed front grille portionl'l coinciding with the cutaway upper front end corners of the endwalls. Said grille portion, which is disposed at an angle to both thevertical and the horizontal, has openings therein and forms thedischarge side or air outlet for the apparatus.

The casing as a whole is provided at its four bottom corners withcasters l8 whereby the apparatus is easily moved about from one place ofuse to another. The rear wall l5 terminates short of the top end of thecasing to there form the air inlet opening IQ for the apparatus. In thebottom end of the casing is provided an open top water supply tank orpan 20 that seats upon the horizontal flange of the angle bar frame llbefore mentioned to close the bottom end of the casing. The bottomportion of the right hand end wall I3 is made as a door l3a givingaccess to the parts within the casing and also whereby the pan 20 may beremoved to enable a better cleaning thereof. Secured to the innersurface of the walls l2-l4 and I5 is an inwardly and downwardlyextending drip flange 22, whereby such vapor as may condense on theinner surface of the various walls of the casing will drain back intothe tank or pan 20. Angle bars 23 are fixed to the inner surface of thefront and rear walls of the casing just above the drip flange 22 and thepurpose of these bars will soon appear.

In the upper front end portion of the casing is formed an upwardly andrearwardly extending wall or partition 24, the ends of which extend toand engage the end walls of the casing. The top portion of thispartition terminates in the plane of the top edge of the end walls in aplane spaced a suitable distance forwardly of the plane of the rear walll5 of the casing. The bottom portion of this wall or partition isdisposed in a plane below the top end of the rear wall l5 and isarranged at a point spaced a suitable distance rearwardlyfrom the frontwall of the casing. A horizontal wall 25 is provided between said bottomportion of the wall or partition 24 and the front wall I4. The walls2425 in connection with a part of the front wall l4, parts of the endwalls l2 and I3 and cover l6 respectively, coact in defining a plenumchamber 26.

The central portion of the walls 25 and 24 are cut away and associatedwith the cut away portion of the wall 24 are vertical Wall portions 21and 28 respectively. These wall portions form a duct 29 which opens atits bottom end into the interior of the casing I 0 as a whole and whichopens at its top end into the plenum chamber 26.

In the chamber 26 is arranged a baffle or damper 3| of a length somewhatgreater than the width of the duct 29. This damper has a horizontalhinge connection 32 with the front wall l4 and about which it may beswung from a vertical position up against the front wall to a horizontalposition wherein its free edge engages the wall 24. The first mentionedposition of said baffle or damper appears in dotted lines in Fig. 3 andthe last mentioned position of said bafile or damper appears in fulllines in said figure.

The baffie or damper is manually movable from one position to the otherby means operable from outside of the front wall l4 of the casing andsuch means is as follows: 33 indicates a horizontal shaft that extendsthrough the front wall .l4 on its vertical median line at a point abovethe wall 25 before mentioned. This shaft is journalled in a bearingbracket 34 secured to the front wall. The outer end of this shaft isprovided with a knob 35 whereby the shaft may be turned. An arm 36 isfixed to the inner end of this shaft. The free end of said arm carries aball headed stud 3'! to which an end of a connecting rod 38 is connectedin the manner of a universal joint. The other end of said rod has asimilar connection 39 with the baffle or damper 3| It is pointed outthat the shaft 33 has a screw thread fit in its bearing 34. Thus whenthe shaft 33 is turned in one direction or the other, to adjust theposition of the bafile or damper 3!, said damper will stand in itsadjusted position, the weight of damper or baflle being insufficient toovercome the fit of said shaft in its bearing. If desired, to reduce thenoise which air moving through the plenum chamber might produce, theinner surfaces of the chamber 26 and duct 29 and both surfaces of thedamper or baflle may be covered with a sound deadening material 40.

4l42 and 43 indicate respectively inverted U shaped supporting brackets(see Fig. 5) arranged in the casing above the angle bar 23 and arrangedparallel with the end walls l2 and I3. The bracket 4| is arrangedclosely adjacent the end wall I3 of the casing while the brackets 4243are spaced equal distance on each side of the center line of the casingfrom front to rear.

As best shown in Fig. 3, each bracket includes a horizontally disposedbar 44 and depending vertical legs 4545, each of which terminates in afoot 46, The feet of each bracket engage upon cushioning members 41which rest upon the horizontal flange of the angle bars 23 and bolts 48pass through said feet, the said flanges and the said cushioning membersrespectively to complete the assembly for said brackets. The cushioningmembers are preferably in the form of rubber blocks, whereby noisetransmission is dampened to a minimum.

A conventional type of blower including the usual casing 50 is disposedbetween the brackets 4243. This casing has an air inlet opening 5| ateach side and has an upwardly directed outlet 52 that snugly fits in thebottom end of the duct 29, In the casing is located a rotor or fan 53that is fixed to a shaft 54, the ends of said shaft being journalled inbearing blocks 55 secured to the bars 44 of the brackets 42 and 43. Apulley 56 is fixed on that end of the shaft associated with the bracket42.

The driving motor for the blower is indicated at 51. This motor is fixedto a plate 58 which is supported at its opposite ends upon the bars 44of the brackets 4I--42, toward the front of the casing. 59 indicates thearmature shaft of the motor which shaft carries a pulley 60 at one end.A belt BI is trained about this pulley and about the pulley 56 wherebythe rotor or fan of the blower is driven from the motor.

An upwardly facing channel 62 extends along the inner face of the'topmarginal part of the rear wall l5 and is supported from said wall andfrom. the end walls of the casing by clips 63 on said walls. An airwashing and filtering panel or screen 64 is engaged upon the bottom wallof the channel, the panel or screen having an area approximating that ofthe air inlet opening 19 of the casing. This panel or screen is boundedby a frame 65, which securely clamps the margins of front and rearscreen members 66 and 6! respectively. A fibrous filler or mat 68 isdisposed between the screens and the members of the frame.

On the inner surfaces of the end walls of the cas ing are guide clips 69for engaging the top margin of the panel or screen as a whole. When thecover N3 of the casing is removed, the panel may be withdrawn upwardlyfrom the casing and re moved therefrom for cleaning purposes whendesired. It may be replaced in a reverse manner.

The top member of the panel or screen frame is formed to provide achannel that is open at the bottom as appears at 10 in Fig. 3 forcommunication with the filler or mat 68 In this channel is located alongitudinally extending water supply pipe H provided withlongitudinally spaced outlet holes 12 in its bottom. That end of thepipe H extending toward the casing wall I2 is closed to form a hook 13that engages a part of the frame of the panel or screen to providesupport for said end of the pipe. The other end of this pipe is made asan elbow 14 to extend throughout the screen 61 of the panel, near theend wall l3 of the casing. This end of the pipe carries a spacer 15 forkeeping it centrally positioned in the channel at the top edge of thepanel or screen frame. Water is delivered to the pipe from the pan 20 aswill later appear. A drain pipe 16 is connected at its top end to thatend of the channel 62 associated with the end. wall l2 and the bottomend of said pipe extends into the pan 20.

An angle bar 11 connects the rear ends of the 94 is placed intooperation.

bars 44 of the two brackets 4| and 42 together.

Depending from this angle bar is a plate 18 in which is provided a pairof vertically extending slots 19. A motor having its armature shaft 8|arranged vertically, is adjustably secured to said plate by means ofbolts 82 that pass through the base flange 83 of the motor and throughthe slots 19 in said plate. Of course the usual nuts are associated withthe bolts: When said nuts are loosened, the motor may be raised andlowered adjustably with respect to said plate.

A pump 84 is supported from the bottom end of the motor by means of apair of arms 85. The pump includes a casing 86 having a rotor chamber 81in which is located a rotor 88 which is fixedto the bottom end of thearmature shaft 8| of the motor. The pump casing has a central bottominlet for the chamber 81 and has an elbowlike outlet 89 leading oiT fromone side. A flexible conduit 90 has a slip over fit at its ends with theoutlet 99 of the pump and with the inlet elbow M of the pipe ii.

The pump 88 is preferably positioned in a strainer basket 9i arranged inthe pan, the basket having side walls of relatively fine wire mesh tostrain out such particles as may be in the water that would damage thepump,

It is preferred that the motor 89 be so connected with the motor 51 asto be energizable only after the motor 57 has been energized. A simplemanner in which this can be accomplished appears diagrammatically inFig. 8. 92 indicates a lead in conductor for current which is connectedto one side of the motor 51, the other side.

of the motor being grounded through a 'conductor 93. A switch 99 isprovided in the line 92. When the switch 94 is closed the motor 51 isenergized and when said switch is opened, said motor is deenergized. Aconductor 95 connects one side of the motor 80 with the line 93 and asecond conductor 96 connects the other side of the motor 89 with theconductor 92 at a point between the switch 94 and motor 51. In theconductor 9B is a switch 91 for controlling the motor 89.

With the arrangement described, it is apparent that the motor 51 may beenergized without energizing the motor 80 and it is also ap-- parentthat the motor 80 can only be energized when the motor 51 is energized.Thus, it is possible to operate the blower without operating the pump 84or the two can be operated simultaneously but the pump cannot beoperated unless the blower is operating. Thus, in damp wet weather, theblower can be operated without adding to the water content of the airdischarged from the apparatus.

Assume that the apparatus is arranged in the room of a dwelling and thatit is a rather warm dry day. Also, assume that the bottom sash of awindow in said room is raised, and the apparatus as a whole ispositioned with its rear side toward and closely adjacent the openwindow. This will dispose the bottom part of the filter panel or screenat about the level of the sill of said window. Also, assume that asufiicient amount of water is provided in the tank or pan 2!! and thatthe battle or damper 3| is in an upright position as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3, so that the duct 29 is in no manner obstructed thereby.

When the switches 94 and 91 are both closed, the blower is placed intooperation and the pump Under such conditions the pump delivers waterfrom the tank .the pan 28 for cleaning purposes.

20 up, through the conduit 90 into the pipe H for distributionthroughout the entire length of the mat 68 in the filter or screen unit.This provides a film of water covering the strands or fibres of the mat,the excess water collecting in the trough or channel 62 and drainingback into the pan 20 by means of the conduit or tube 16.

As the air inlet for the casing is closely adjacent and faces toward theopen window, air passes through the filter where it is cleaned andcooled and enters the casing to pass into the inlets 5| for the blower.The blower discharges this air up through the duct 29 into the chamber,the greater part of the air passing upwardly out through the grille llunder the action of the velocity pressure of the blower. The air thusdischarged creates a turbulence in the upper air strata of the room. Theair as it passes through the filter will absorb some water content andit is this content which maintains the room at the desired condition ofhumidity.

Should it be desired to change the direction of the air being dischargedinto the room. the knob 35 is actuated to swing the baifle or damper 3iinto the full linehorizontal position shown in Fig. 3 wherein its freeedge engages the wall 24. In this position the member provides a battleor damper so that only a part of the air is discharged straight upthrough duct 29, the other part of the air impinging against the bottomsurface of the bailie or damper 3i and directed toward the ends of thechamber 2b. This chamher then acts as a plenum chamber as it is filledwith air and converts the velocity pressure of the air dischargedthrough the duct, into a static pressure in the chamber, so that the airis discharged out through the grille ii in a direction at a right angleto the plane of inclination thereof. It is, of course, apparent that byreason of the action described, the angular position of the baiile ordamper controls the discharge direction of the air passing out throughthe grille.

Should outside atmosphere be warm and humid, the switch 9? is opened andthe motor 9i deenergized so that no more water is supplied to the filtermat 68.

In winter time with a low outside temperature. with the window closedand with the heating applicance in the room in the on" condition, theapparatus may be used as an efllcient humidifier mcause it will addmoisture to the air and will gently recirculate the same.

To replenish the water supply in the pan. the door i3a in the wall it isopened so as to give access to said pan. Should the strainer basket 9irequire cleaning, the nuts for the bolts 82 are loosened and the motor80 and pump 84 are moved upwardly of the slots 19 in the plate 19 untilthe pump clears the top end of the strainer basket. The basket may thenbe removed from Thereafter the cleaned basket is replaced in position inthe pan and the motor 80 and pump .84 lowered into position to bring thepump in a submerged position in the water within the strainer basket.

Should the filter mat require cleaning, the cover It is removed from thecasing, the slip connection between the conduit 90 and elbow end of thepipe H is disconnected and then the filter as a unit including said pipeis lifted upwardly for removal. It may then be backwashed and replaced,after which the slip connection between the said conduit. and pipe endreestablished and the cover I then reapplied. 1|

iii

The apparatus is then ready for further operation.

The apparatus is simple and compact in construction, is efilcient inoperation and the parts are readily accessible for cleaning.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to beconsidered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to belimited thereto except as may he specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an air conditioning apparatus, a casing, means providing a chamberhaving an air outlet at the front top portion of the casing and arrangedin an upwardly and rearwardly inclined plane, said chamber including abottom Wall and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear wall, saidwalls being formed to provide an upwardly extending air inlet for saidchamber, and means in said chamber and movable into a position withrespect to said air inlet for overlapping only a part of said air inletand for deflecting a portion of the incoming air, laterally in bothdirections.

2. An air conditioning apparatus embodying therein a casing having anair inlet opening and an air outlet opening, air filtering meansassociated with the air inlet opening, means providing a water supply atthe bottom of the easing and which means is removable from the casing ina horizontal plane, a motor driven pump submerged in the water supply,means connecting said pump and filtering means for distributing waterthroughout the latter, and means in the casing providing a mounting forsaid pump for movement into a plane above the top of said water supplymeans to permit removal of the latter from the casing.

3. In an air conditioning apparatus, an open top casing having an airinlet at the top end of one face thereof, means providing an air outletfor the casing, an air filter for the air inlet, a blower between saidair inlet and said air outlet, means for supplying water to said filter,means providing a trough-like support for the bottom margin of said airfilter means, means carried by the top portion of the casing for holdingsaid filter in operative relation to said inlet opening, and a coverclosing the open top of the casing and preventing removal of said airfilter means from its supporting engagement upon said trough.

ALLAN A. FEIN'BERG.

